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What it Takes to Live for What You Will Die For

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BY KEISHA JOHNSON 

This space is a place to encourage you in the things that will give you an edge in life to walk the path of the extraordinary and leave your imprint on the future. We’ve uncovered a lot of the ‘hidden’ secrets that accomplished men and women have employed throughout generations to distinguish themselves, beat the odds and attain seemingly impossible goals with repeat success. Their legacy has left us a trail of insights, wisdom, tools and resources to maximize our potential and make our own mark.

This week as a precursor to the 2nd annual Caribbean Business Expo slated for April 24th at the Pearson Convention Center, I want to touch on another key that I will share more about at the conference.

It puts to rest one of those issues that most every person contends with at some point in their life. It’s the thing that draws the line between uncertainty and conviction, complacency and passion, enough and abundance.

It is what launches people from obscurity to significance and infuses life into delayed dreams to make them explode and redeem lost time. It’s what tips you from good to great and from great to extraordinary. It’s what elite athletes and business moguls nurture to stay on top of their game. And it’s what is required to take you to the next level.

I first heard of this thing in 2010. Yet I had experienced it more than a decade earlier when it redirected the course of my life.

At that time I was twenty two years old. Burning the candle at both ends between a full time job, full time studies and a full time preoccupation with excelling at everything, I had suffered a minor stroke and ended up back in the hospital the first day I returned to work.

The attending nurse on my second visit was surprised to see me again and with hands akimbo immediately reprimanded me, “Do you know that if you die on that job today they will replace you tomorrow?”

Her sharp words rent the thin veil of my security and exposed the bitter reality that my current job with all the prestige and perks I enjoyed was NOT what I wanted to die for; neither was it what I wanted to live for. And even more unsettling, if asked, I could not articulate what was.

Have you ever been there? Meaning and significance resonates with the heart and ego of most every human being, yet the journey to it is made by few. Why?  What makes some people reach that place of clarity, find joy and fulfillment and purpose in what they do and in who they are and get rewarded for it, while others just seem caught on the proverbial treadmill of trying?

Throughout my career as a journalist I had interviewed, met, known, been friends with enough people caught in this crippling cycle. I had seen their exhaustion and listened to their lament of captive, faded, delayed, lost and broken dreams to know that to change course required drastic action.

So I took a risk. I quit the job and began the search to find my unique purpose and calling. And within a year I did. Thanks to that presumptuous nurse, whose chiding words lit a fire in me to live for what I would die for.

This fire within, I learned in 2010 from my mentor Alvin Day who will be the keynote speaker on April 24th, is called a fire in the belly.

Fire in the belly is what makes you ditch the comfort zone of the familiar but failing. Fire in the belly is what fuels that burning desire that engulfs your thoughts day and night with a better future for yourself. It denies hunger, silences doubt and negativity and fuels you to run the extra miles toward the mark of your higher calling when your legs have long lost all feeling.

Fire in the belly has to be stoked and when it is, it grows and rockets you to a future you could only have imagined as my friend Jelani Daniel showed us.

Less than two years ago in the wee hours of the morning, a few friends sat on a couch and laughed until our bellies ached about Jelani’s many life lessons as a car dealer. He envisioned putting it all into a book and as we agreed, he transported us to life post the book release to what people would say about him and how they would treat him, how he would be introduced and esteemed and how life would be transformed and make him known.

Within a few months of that exchange, Jelani had his book, “Forward March” in hand. His push to make that a reality is called fire in the belly. Now every time I see Jelani he reminds me, “I’ve got part two coming, I’m writing my second book”. Fire in the belly has brought Jelani before prime ministers, countless media interviews and speaking engagements. It has elevated his image and value to our society.

Similarly, another colleague Kevin Junor sent me an email recently with an snapshot of a textbook on leadership used at the University of Toronto in which he is referenced as a model of Servant Leadership. Kevin lives to be a servant leader and his authentic commitment to live for what he will die for has not only brought him before royalty but has made him a paragon to generations of future leaders.

Kevin will share the framework for living and leaving a legacy on April 24th. At the conference you will hear more of how to make the leap from obscurity to significance as we explore igniting the fire in your belly and the implications it has for how you live and what you’ll be remembered for. I will share key lessons of the journey to clarity of purpose and the blueprint that emerged to live for what you will die for. I invite you to be our special guest and we look forward to meeting you on April 24th at the Pearson Convention Centre, 2638 Steeles Avenue East, Brampton, ON.

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Professional Development

As a community we lack unity. How are we supposed to rebuild the Black Wall Street?

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Photo Credit: Christina @ wocintechchat.com

BY DAVID ANDERSON

Do you know what the problem is? We can never stand up as one and unite for change. I am getting really sick and tired of this crab in a bucket mentality. As a community, we have not done enough. We have not built enough. Instead of correcting history, we have chosen the path of repeating it. I mean it is true we cannot hide from who we are but grow and learn from who we were. We cannot be afraid to let our brothers and sisters continue to separate.

As a community, we lack unity. How are we supposed to rebuild the Black Wall Street? How come it has never been remade since the tragic Tulsa race massacre that took place May 31st and June 1st 1921? City officials, to attack Black business owners, and residents gave the people weapons. They destroyed homes in Tulsa Oklahoma. What was once a flourishing community in Tulsa Oklahoma was reduced to nothing but campfire stories. This left a negative impact on the Black community.

Have you ever heard the phrase crabs in a bucket? This is a metaphor for people who either live in the same environment or are after specific goals. What we all get confused about is that there is enough for everyone.

I used to hate the saying “Let’s get this bag,” because it puts one trophy at the top of the pedestal. Humans are so competitive that they would rather sabotage their future as long as they beat you or finish first. This is how you burn bridges that you will have to cross again in life.

Working towards one goal usually is beneficial to each individual or as a collective (team). Every sports team makes it clear what their goals are in the pre-season. This allows coaches and players to develop a relationship that is based on trust and personal development. Each time they step out on the field or court they have their teammates’ best interest at hand. This will create chemistry, which only strengthens relationships and performance. We have to be able to depend on and trust one another. We need to learn from our mistakes and be proactive in correcting them.

As an entrepreneur, you need to be able to build strong relationships and communities. This might not be easy, but it is beneficial for you, family, business and community. As a leader you must have the ability to rally people in your community towards a cause. You have the ability to start a community organization. You possess the skills to make a change in your life, for your family and community. Don’t let opportunities pass you by. We need to learn more about our history, or it will repeat itself. We need to learn from other great cities, villages, and kingdoms.

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Professional Development

How to Boost Your Marketing Agency’s Growth in 2022

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Want to boost your marketing agency’s growth over the course of the next calendar year? If so, you’ve found the right article. Below, you will find insightful information regarding the current scalability of the advertising sector, as well as comprehensive advice on what you can do to play an active role in this ongoing development.

Here are three things you can do to boost your marketing agency’s growth in 2022:

Home in your niche market
You aren’t going to grow your marketing agency until you showcase your skill, credibility, and reliability. In order to cultivate this type of reputation for yourself, you need to offer a specific service incredibly well. Distracting yourself with unnecessary service ranges will detract from your ability to build this authority, which is why you are advised to home in on a niche market segment. This will entail you providing a narrow yet effecting promotional service until you are capable of taking your agency to the next level.

There are plenty of niche marketing markets for you to tap into, eight of which include:

  1. Digital marketing
  2. Outbound or inbound marketing
  3. Content marketing
  4. Social media marketing
  5. Voice marketing
  6. Email marketing
  7. Influencer marketing
  8. Word-of-mouth marketing

Embrace white label SEO
If you choose to go down the digital marketing route in your expansion endeavor, you should seriously consider embracing white label SEO. This will allow you to expand your web-based advertising initiative without draining your time, effort, money, or resources.

To ensure that you receive a substantial ROI from white label SEO, it’s recommended that you partner up with a reputable reseller such as Click Intelligence Canada. This industry authority will help you to generate a new source of revenue, they will offer SEO solutions tailored around your specific expertise, and they will provide a cost-effective platform for your agency’s growth. Ultimately, this level of assistance will allow you to focus on what truly matters — your company’s ongoing scalability.

Simplify your project management
The way in which you manage your projects will have a profound effect on your marketing agency’s success going forward. In this instance, it’s important that you avoid overcomplicating things at all costs. This will only make life ten times harder for yourself, s it will eat away at both your time and effort. Ultimately, this will decrease the likelihood of you meeting your crucial advertising campaign deadlines.

When attempting to simplify your project management process, your first port of call should be to prioritize your daily tasks by level of importance. This will help you to screen out unimportant tasks and subsequently aid you in your attempt to focus on critical marketing matters.

Are you determined to take your marketing agency to the next level in 2022? If so, be sure to heed the growth and development advice laid out above. Home in on a niche market, embrace white label SEO, and simplify your project management — do all of that, and you’ll be scaling the lofty heights of your niche industry sooner rather than later.

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Professional Development

Ergonomic Home Office- Choosing The Best Furniture Pieces

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BY ELLA BRAUN

The COVID crisis has brought a sudden transition for the world, particularly in the form of the work from the home switch. The biggest challenge, however, is that most of us are not equipped with a proper working area at home. Like everyone else, you would also want to have a dedicated office space that makes you feel productive. When it comes to creating such a home office, comfort is important. After all, you cannot expect to do your best in the workspace if you are not comfortable enough. If you are planning to create an ergonomic home office, choosing the right furniture pieces matters the most. Here are some tips to pick the best ones.

Assess the available space
Even before you start preparing a wishlist of furniture pieces, assess the available area. Not everyone has a spare room for creating a dedicated office, so space struggles are more real than you think. Measure the area and consider the essential pieces you would want to fit in. You may have to differentiate between needs and wants and skip some things if there isn’t enough room.

Consider the work hours
From the ergonomic perspective, it is important to consider the number of hours you would be working every day. For example, you can give precedence to style if you plan to use the home office for only a few hours in a day. However, comfort is absolutely essential if you have long working hours. You may even consider having a standing work desk apart from the sitting arrangement to prevent the ill-effects of prolonged sitting.

Have a budget to start with
Right now, you may be pressed for cash but a proper workspace is something that you can’t do without. Having a budget before you start shopping is a good idea. You may even look for deals like an IKEA flyer or coupon online to fit the best-branded furniture in your budget. Quality is vital when it comes to ergonomics because good brands go the extra mile to create designs that are easy on the body.

Choose pieces that fit you
If comfort is your top priority while picking furniture for your work area, you need to go the extra mile to find pieces that actually fit your body. Consider proportioned height for your chair and table if you are too tall or too short. Exploring and trying before buying is a great idea. Of course, your office furniture should look great but ease is something that you cannot ignore.

Don’t forget your personal style
Even as you look for pieces that are comfortable, don’t forget your personal style. Also, make sure that it blends with your home decor, particularly when you are creating a workspace in your living room or bedroom. Consider the aesthetic elements such as colour and design. At the same time, invest in durability and quality as well.

Although creating a home office can be easy, you need to be extra sure about ergonomics. After all, an easy space makes you feel more productive and keeps you healthy as well.

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